THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


By  the  same  Author. 


SYBIL, 

A   TRAGEDY,    IN    FIVE   ACTS. 
1  VOL.,  12MO. 


FAITH  AND  FANCY. 

1  VOL.  12MO. 


EVA: 


A    GOBLIN    ROMANCE, 


IN   FIVE   PARTS. 


BY 

JOHN    SAVAGE, 

AUTHOR  ov  "SYBIL,  A  TRAGEDY,"  "FAITH  AND  FANCY," 
ETC.,  ETC. 


NEW  YORK : 

JAMES    B.    KIRKER, 

(LATB  EDWAKD  DUNIGAN  &  BKOTHER,) 

599  BROADWAY,  (UP  STAIRS.) 

1865. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  the  year  ISM, 
BY   JOHN  SAVAGE, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of 
New  York. 


fs 


TO 

ROBERT  SHELTON  MACKENZIE,  D.  C.  L. 

MY  DEAR  DOCTOR: — 

I  feel  a  pardonable  pride  in  offering  you  this  little  book. 
Were  its  merits  but  equal  to  the  gratification  experienced  in 
dedicating  it  to  you,  its  reputation  would  be  a  foregone  conclu 
sion,  and  only  make  me  more  happy  that  it  was  in  some  de 
gree  worthy  of  your  acceptance.  I  pray  you,  however,  to  take 
it,  such  as  it  is,  as  a  small  token  of  my  appreciation  of  your  in 
defatigable  labors  in  the  cultivation  and  dissemination  of  a 
healthy  and  hearty  Polite  Literature,  of  your  high  sense  of 
professional  independence,  and  of  your  generosity  to  profes 
sional  juniors — a  generosity  the  more  gladly  recorded  here  be 
cause  I  have  been  a  partaker  of  its  fruits. 

Among  contemporary  writers,  I  am  not  aware  of  any  more 
ready  to  welcome  and  endorse  what  your  judgment  recognizes 
as  deserving;  or  who,  being  forced  into  an  opposite  course, 
justifies  his  disapproval  out  of  resources  more  complete,  or  by 
standards  more  compatible  with  common  sense  and  the  dig 
nity  of  letters.  These  characteristics,  so  widely  valued  and 
respected,  fortify  the  desire  of  personal  regard  to  inscribe  this 
romance  with  your  name. 

A  word  as  to  the  work  itself.  While  illustrating  the  plot — 
if  I  may  call  it  such — by  the  resources  Fancy  and  Imagination 
conjure  up  as  lying  within  the  supernatural  and  fairy  realms, 
and  by  the  reflection  of  the  scenery,  occasion,  and  moods  of  the 
actors  upon  each  other,  I  have  attempted — like  an  old-fashioned 
Btory-tellor — more  than  once  to  point  a  moral :  and  in  the  con- 

— 


6  DEDICATION. 

eluding  part,  to  lead  the  mind  to  dwell  on  the  still  higher, 
more  enduring,  and  more  consoling  teaching  of  Christianity, 
that,  amid  the  vicissitudes  which  rack  man — not  the  least 
crushing  of  which  is  a  transition  from  the  egotistic  rapture  of 
a  passionate  young  love  to  the  humiliating  consciousness  of 
moody  despair — his  only  comfort  and  lasting  reward  is  to  be 
found  in  the  self-sacrifice,  the  resignation — in  a  word — the 
humble,  but  heroic  virtues  symbolized  by  THE  CBOSS. 

Accept,  my  dear  Doctor,  this  dedication,  with  the  affectionate 
esteem  of 

Tour  Friend, 

JOHN  SAVAGE. 

FOKDHAH,  September  25, 1865. 


EVA 


PART    FIRST. 


THE  evening  Sun  was  setting  fair 

Beneath  a  sky  of  blue, 
And  Nature's  charms  on  earth,  in  air, 

Were  fading  into  dew : 

n. 

The  sun's  broad  beams  athwart  did  lie 
The  crimson-mantled  West, 

As  a  golden  Cross  of  Chivalry 
Charged  on  a  purple  vest : 


EVA. 

m. 

The  evening  star,  with  tender  freight 

Of  charitable  mirth, 
Did  seem  to  cheer  and  gratulate 

The  day-tired  sons  of  earth. 


IV. 

A  gentle  breath  the  shrubs  arnong- 

A  gentle  sisrh  of  air. 
As  though  a  gentle  maiden's  song 

Was  lilting  here  and  there ; 


v. 

The  busy  bushes  keeping  time, 
The  tendrils  join  each  note, 

And  all  is  soft  as  silv'ry  rhyme 
From  out  a  silv'ry  throat : 


VI. 

The  grass  assumes  a  whimpering  thrill 

As  through  it  wings  the  wind, 
So  gently  though,  it  scarcely  speeds 
To  coax  a  chorus  from  yon  weeds, 
Ere  all  is  &till  behind : 


EVA. 

vn. 

The  dry  stems  wheeze  a  tiny  pipe 

To  show  they  wakeful  lie, 
As  urchins  mumble  unknown  type 
When  pedagogue  struts  by : 

vm. 

The  wild  rose  blushes  on  the  eve 

Of  going  to  its  rest, 
And  bends  its  crimson  cheek  to  grieve 

On  mother  Earth's  calm  breast. 


IX. 

The  dew  steals  o'er  primroses  pale 

Which  deck  yon  shady  place ; 
And  clustering  in  a  shy  delight, 
Help  to  shake  the  tears  of  night 
From  off  each  others'  face : 

x. 

And  hawthorn  blossoms  titter  low, 

For  fear  their  joyaunce  reach 
The  matron-like  and  crabbed  boughs, 
While  am'rous  Air  essays  its  vows 
And  steals  a  kiss  from  each : 


10  ETA. 

XL 

The  mountain  Ash,  gay  lithe  and  young, 

With  knowledge  of  its  grace, 
TTnheedful  hears  the  gallant's  song, 
Nor  cares  be  won  by  secret  tongue, 
It  bends  to  bolder  face. 


xn. 

The  evening  calm  as  the  smile  of  Him, 
Who  said,  "  Thy  Will  be  done," 

And  the  pious  air  seemed  hushed  in  prayer 
Like  a  seraphic  nun. 

XIII, 

The  scene  was  wild,  yet  Fancy  made 

Its  features  full  of  balm 
As  though  it  joined  the  lengthening  shade 

To  make  the  day's  death  calm. 

"SdV. 

In  truth  it  was  a  placid  scene 

Where  awe  did  wonder  woo : 
Yea,  such  as  men  full  seldom  ken 

The  coming  twilight  through. 


EVA. 
XV. 

It  is  a  brocken  valley  wild, 

The  Dodder  streaming  down 
Its  centre,  and  the  mountain  heath 
Envelops  with  a  purple  wreath 
Kippure's  age-mottled  crown. 

xvr. 

O  valley !  consecrate  to  song, 

In  poet-warrior's  soul, 
"Where  memories  of  Ossian  throng — 

Delightful  Grlan-nis-mole ! l 

xvn. 

O  valley !  famed  in  Ancient  days 

"Not  more  by  Ossian's  voice, 
Than  thrushes',  whose  bewildering  maze 
Of  melody  made  all  thy  braes 

And  hundred  dells  rejoice. 

*  xvm. 

Romantic,  rugged,  sombre,  grand, 

The  hills  jut  out  and  fall 
Into  the  devious  vale,  as  though 
To  stay  the  Dodder's  reckless  How : 

Which,  foams,  and  frets,  through  all. 


12  EVA. 

XIX. 

They  drive  the  stream  from  shore  to  shore ; 

It  shakes  with  rage,  then  sweeps 
Around  the  base,  with  lengthening  pace, 
With  sullen  surge,  breaks  through  the  gorge, 

And  frothing,  onward  leaps. 

xx. 

By  Alyagower,  clear  as  glass 

The  pools  glide  smoothly  free, 
Till  further  down,  a  group  of  rocks, 
Like  bathing  dwarfs,  jumps  up  and  mocks 

Their  placid  ecstasy. 

XXL 

Then  like  branch-broken  rays  from  sun — 
Or  sparks  from  the  blacksmith's  blow — 
Or,  shattered  gems,  they  flash  and  run 

To  frothen  the  angry  flow. 

• 

xxn. 

And  now  they  chant  a  boisterous  song, 

United,  now  they  hymn, 
And  anon  they  murmuring  lilt  along 

In  the  shade  of  yon  brockeu,  dim. 


EVA.  13 

XXIII. 


The  brave  ship  many  leagues  must  tack 

As  air  and  ocean  wills : 
So  strove  the  river,  making  track 

Athrough  this  sea  of  hills. 


xxrv. 


An  ivy-quilted  scanty  ruin 

Lies  hugged  i'  the  valley  wild ; 

And  tombs  there  tell,  of  all  save  hell 
To  martyr,  man,  and  child. 


xxv. 


In  the  shade  of  the  lonely  pile, 
Like  life  within  a  dream, 

In  the  shade  of  the  holy  aisle 
A  listening  to  the  stream — 


XXVI. 

A  listening  to  the  Dodder's  woes 

A-neath  the  ivy  green, 
A  damsel  and  youth,  the  like  in  sooth 

I'm  sure  you  ne'er  have  seen. 
2 


14:  EVA. 


XXVII. 


Ye  sprites,  it  was  a  dreamy  scene 
And  a  witching  wild  one,  too, 

Such  as  we  but  seldom  see, 
The  elfin  twilight  through. 


xxvm. 


The  youthful  maid  an  angel's  face — 
And  angel's  form,  I  ween, 

A  mingling  grace  lit  up  her  face 
Of  blooming  ripe  sixteen. 


XXIX. 


Tresses  like  an  autumn  night 
Hang  o'er  her  ioreueau  o  aaj 

Darkly  rich — a  pearly  light 
Outlines  each  curling  spray 


xxx. 


Eyes  of  such  unearthly  light, 
Though  dark  as  ever  wrought ; 

By  Heaven !  they  twist  me  as  a  sprite, 
Though  I  but  see  in  thought. 


EVA.  15 

XXXI. 

Much  more  they  twisted  yon  poor  soul, 

The  brave  youth  by  her  side, 
Whose  pupils  rise  to  the  maid's  dark  eyes 
And  in  the  wild  glance  dies,  and  dies 

To  live  in  hopeful  pride. 


xxxn. 

He  sighs,  that  wily  nature  should 
Play  freaks  to  show  her  might, 

And  make  in  witching  maidenhood 
The  darkest  eyes  most  bright. 

xxxrrr. 

Her  forehead,  as  white  marble,  pale, 

The  veins  an  azure  river, 
Where  tints  of  Ireland's  skies  prevail 

In  softness,  softening  ever. 


xxxrv. 

Her  cheeks,  the  dainty  tenderness 

As  when  at  morning's  dawn, 
The  sun-beam  is  shed,  through  a  rose-leaf,  red, 

On  a  neighboring  ceanavaun.2 


16  EVA. 

XXXV. 

Her  lips !  a  healthy  pure  repast — 
A  sylph's  or  mortal's,  which  ? 

The  upper  like  the  bright  spring  cast, 
The  under  autumn  rich : 

XXXVI. 

And  both  control  a  fragrant  breath 
Like  breeze  o'er  summer  flowers, 

When  jocund  morn  enliveneth 
Earth's  re-awakened  powers. 

xxxvn. 

Her  voice  was  like  a  happy  thought 
Whose  speaking  smile  did  sun  you, 

And  ere  you  heard  the  opening  word 
The  movement  had  undone  you. 

xxxvm. 

A  raiment  white  with  girdle  green 

Her  dainty  waist  about, 
For  as  her  heart  was  pure  within, 

Her  garb  was  pure  without. 


EVA.  17 

XXXIX. 

So  take  the  fair  for  all  In  all : 

Such  a  pure  though  tempting  smile, 

Ne'er  shone  from  maid 

As  on  him  who  strayed 
Through  that  old  monastic  aisle. 


XL. 

Comely  shaped  the  youth,  and  slender ; 
With  four  summers  o'er  her  own : 
And  ever  since  they  gambolled 
On  the  hill-paths  over-brambled, 
In  sunny  childhood's  days,  the  tender 
Passion,  with  their  growth  had  grown. 


XLT. 

Never  slept  it :  for  their  sleeping 
Ne'er  was  by  its  dreams  forsaken — 
Sleep,  our  Nature's  El  Dorado, 
Only  held  it  by  a  shadow — 

"While  they  gathered  golden  dream-tales 

To  be  told  when  they'd  awaken. 
2* 


18  EVA. 

XLII. 

Tims  their  nights  were  but  as  segments 

Of  the  circle  of  their  days ; 
And  their  young  hearts,  sunny  centres, 

Rich  with  Love's  converging  rays. 

XLIH. 

Young  Kevin  Dhu,  so  was  he  hight, 

For  ay,  was  youth  as  good 
As  e'er  bent  bow  on  Saxon  foe, 
Or  boasted  the  commingling  flow 

Of  Celto-Norman  blood. 

XLIV. 

His  voice  is  full  and  freshly  clear 

As  the  breeze  on  Comm'ragh's  crown ; 

His  hand  can  harp  to  a  maiden's  ear 
Or  strike  a  foeman  down. 


XLT. 

The  brown  locks  cluster  on  his  brow, 
Like  grapes  on  the  brow  of  Pan, 

And  you  see  a  man  in  the  youth  though  now 
The  youth  is  scarcely  man. 


EVA.  19 

XLVI. 

Lonely  looks  the  ancient  pile ; 

But  love  is  lonely  never, 
When  loving  eyes  exchange  the  while 

The  arrows  from  Love's  quiver. 


XLVII. 

Solemn  the  weird  and  lonely  scene, 
Solemn  the  tombs  arraigned — 

It  looks  as  Life  had  all  buried  been, 
And  they  alone  remained. 


XLVTH. 

In  truth,  it  was  a  holy  scene, 
And  a  lonely  wild  one  too, 

Such  as  men  full  seldom  ken 
The  dusky  twilight  through. 


XLEX. 

A  harp,  Love's  vibrant  symbol,  rude 
In  shape,  but  sweet  in  tone, 

Lay  o'er  a  tomb,  as  though  its  mood 
Was  dirging  the  dead  alone. 


20  EVA. 

L. 

She  sate  her  down  upon  a  tomb, 

A  cross  rose  high  before, 
With  mossy  shapes  from  Time's  gray  womb, 

Emboss'd  and  stained  o'er. 

LI. 

"  What  hopes !"  he  cried, "  what  love,  what  truth, 

These  ancient  crosses  speak ! 
What  chastening  thoughts  for  strength  and 

youth, 
What  sinews  for  the  weak ! 


LH. 

u  With  Vandal  Time,  their  Sculptures  rude 

But  sacred  combat  well ; 
Like  trusty  friends,  they  have  outstood 
The  wealth  that  from  us  fell. 


Lin. 

u '  T would  seem  the  centuried  bones  beneath, 

With  strength  of  faith  had  grown 
To  mark  the  true  soul's  hope  in  death, 
And  rose  in  sculptured  stone. 


EVA. 


LIV. 

"  Ye  granite  graybeards  of  the  past 

Wlio  watch  our  kindred  o'er, 
With  us  may  e'er  thy  teachings  last, 
That  we  the  Cross  adore. 


LV. 

"  These  crosses,  like  great  note-marks,  stand 

O'er  all  the  Celtic  sod, 
Grown  gray  in  agony  of  love 
Referring  us  to  God  1" 3 

LVI. 

And  then,  as  dropping  in  the  tide 
Of  thought  his  fervor  sprung, 

The  youth  in  Celtic  anguish  sighed 
Its  mysty  waves  among. 


Lvn. 

'Twas  but  a  moment,  though  it  seemed, 

In  retrospection,  years, 
And  waking  from  the  life  he  dreamed — 

Ancestral  blood  and  tears — 


22  EVA. 

Lvm. 

He  leaned  against  the  carven  cross, 
That  rood  of  holy  stone, 

In  love's  weird  tremors  both  at  loss, 
To  claim  each  heart  their  own. 


LIX. 
He  brushed  his  brow,  he  snatched  his  harp, 

A  prelude  wildly  rang  ; 
Then  melting  to  a  plaintive  width 

Of  soul,  he  to  her  sang  : 


A  love-lorn  minstrel  once  there  dwelt, 

In  a  valley  fair  to  view, 
Whose  young  rapt  soul  and  senses  knelt, 

A  heavenly  maid  to  woo. 
His  love  was  fierce  as  Saint  Kevin's  hate,4 

Pure  as  yon  spring  of  Saint  Ann,  — 
He  loved  with  the  fervor  soul  doth  create, 

As  a  minstrel  only  can. 

(n.) 

He  roamed  like  spirit  called  from  earth, 
Chimed  from  its  grave  of  rest, 


EVA.  23 

Penance  to  eke  for  some  worldlie  mirth, 

Or  for  some  act  mi  blest : 
For  his  love  was  fierce  as  Saint  Kevin's  hate, 

Killing  as  e'en  the  Saint's  ban : 
Oft  voiceless,  his  was  an  ideal  state 

Of  loving,  as  minstrel  can. 

(m.) 

He  tracked  her  steps,  o'er  vale  and  hill, 

True  as  the  shadow  she  made ; 
He  blessed  the  sod  whereon  she  trod, 

And  the  breeze  that  round  her  played. 
For  never  to  him  had  the  sense  of  sound 

So  lovingly  tender  grown, 
As  when  the  air,  caressing  the  fair, 

Partook  of  her  dulcet  tone. 

(IV.) 

The  Holy  Well  at  which  she  drank 

To  him  more  holy  grew 
Each  tree  that  gave  her  shade,  each  bank 

She  rested  on,  he  knew ! 
For  he  gazed  on  his  love  as  Martyr  would 

On  the  hope  that  raised  his  soul, 
And  his  eyes  to  her  rolled  as  the  halo  should 

Bound  the  head  of  the  Yirgin  'roll. 


EVA. 

(v.) 
Oh,  this  maid  was  his  sole  divinity  1 

A  model  for  aye  far  above 
Aught  his  brain,  in  its  minstrel  affinity 

To  heaven,  could  weave  for  his  love ! 
And  he  loved  her  as  Kate  loved  Saint  Kevin, 

And  he  traced  her  as  dial  the  sun ; 
For  at  morning,  at  noon,  or  at  even, 

By  either  you'd  find  t'other  one. 

(VI.) 

And  though  they  had  gambolled  in  youthhood, 

From  childhood  to  each  other  clung, 
Yet  neither  had  strength  in  their  truthhood, 

Nor  perfectly  freedom  of  tongue : 
For  love,  when  it  grows  up  from  childhood, 

Ne'er  thinks  to  seek  deeper  the  clue, 
But  looks  on  each  face  as  the  wildwood, 

Where  unconscious  their  heart-flowers  grew. 

(vn.) 

And  though  he  had  laughed  forth  his  fancies, 
And  though  she  reechoed  his  tale, 

Yet  for  one  word  each  heart  inward  glances — 
That  one  word  of  blessing  or  bale. 


EVA.  25 

LX. 

;'  Ah,  sad  is  the  time !"  spake  Eva, 
"  When  hearts  are  unconsciously  tost ; 
'Twere  better  that  one  should  have  spoken 
Than  voiceless  that  both  should  be  lost. 


LXI. 

"  Ah,"  sighed  she,  "  I  pain  for  the  maiden !" 
-"And  I,"  quoth  he,  "  wail  for  the  youth !" 
"  And  did  neither  make  them  an  Aiden, 
By  shriving  the  other  from  ruth  ? 


LXH. 

"  And  did  neither  think  of  presuming 

On  friendship  that  from  their  birth  grew?" 

"  Ah,  no !"  said  the  young  bard  resuming 
His  harp,  and  its  love-burdened  clue : 

"  Though  the  youth  but  in  her  saw  his  heaven, 

Still  spake  not,  or  heard  not  the  word  ; 
For,"  he  faltered, "  the  youth's  name  was  KEVIN, 

And — EVA,  the  maid  he  adored !" 
3 


26  EVA. 

LXIII. 

With  modest,  not  unconscious  air, 

Dear  Eva  heard  him  close :  — 
And  looked,  but  spoke  not,  worlds  of  prayer. 

That  only  true  love  knows. 


LXIV. 

She  felt — she  knew,  she  had  his  heart, 
And  that  it  spake  through  her, 

And  waited  her  responsive  part 
From  him, — nor  dared  to  stir, — 


LXV. 

Nor  dared  to  stir,  lest  she  displace 
The  accents  she  well  knew 

Her  heart  must  make  ;  but  woke  apace 
To  her  own  maiden  view. 


LXM. 

"  Ah,  Kevin !  in  my  maiden  soul 

Is  the  heart  that  I  bereft 
Thee  of — that  I, unconscious. stole, — 
Yet,  willing  tor  the  theft  : 


EVA.  27 

LXVII. 

"  Ay,  willing  for  tlie  theft !    O  youth, 

O  Kevin  dear  !  'tis  frail 
That  Eva's  tongue  should  tell;  but  truth 
And  love's  a  sad  tell-tale." 

LXTTn. 

"  Angel  of  Eva !  let  me  hear 

Those  kindling  thoughts  again ; 
That  Hope's  clear  light  may  shame  the  bier 
Where  chilling  Doubt  lies  slain !" 

LXIX. 

"  My  Kevin  dear,  fain  would  I  tell, — • 

My  tongue  but  shames  its  place, 
My  lips  but  mock  the  inward  spell 
That  needs  would  outward  trace. 

LXX. 

"  My  heart  is  throbbing  like  a  sea, 

And  could  sea  span  the  skies  above, 
I  feel  its  vast  immensity 

Could  not  cradle  half  my  love." 


28  EVA. 

LXXI. 

•    Entranced  in  her  speech,  he  gazed 

As  though  a  statue  still — 
Or  like  a  breathless  sculptor,  dazed 
At  his  creative  skill. 

Lxxn. 

But  suddenly  he  started, — bright, 

His  thankful  gestures  spoke, 
As  vocfii  as  a  host  of  light, 

In  cave  dawn  never  woke. 

Lxxm. 

His  harp  fell  on  the  tufted  moss, 
His  tongue  seemed  in  his  fingers,5 

That  motion  all  his  words, — at  loss 
While  speech  on  his  dumb  mouth  lingers. 

LXXIV. 

He  wrapt  her  to  his  burning  breast, 
That  love  should  fear  no  cheating ; 

He  prest  her,  that  each  pledging  test 
Should  feel  each  other  beating. 


EVA.  29 

LXXV. 

Exchanged  troths  of  love  were  given, 

And  Echo  sealed  each  tone, 
Before  the  Cross,  and  the  holy  heaven, 

In  the  ivied  ruin  lone. 


EVA.  31 


PART    SECOND. 


As  thus  the  pair  entranced  were, 
Each  with  the  other's  love; 

Unseen,  unheard,  about  them  there 
A  horrid  pageant  wove. 


n. 

Old  name-lost  tombs  'gan  start  to  life — 
The  dead  'gan  hobbling  out, 

Martyrs  and  monks,  and  man  and  wife, 
To  witness  what  they're  about. 


m. 

As  lumberingly  moved  the  mounds 
That  did  the  ground  encumber,  . 

The  headstones  cracked  their  lichen  skins, 
And  yawn'd,  like  sots  in  slumber. 


32  EVA. 

IV. 

Old  battered  memories  on  the  walls, 
Took  shape  and  left  their  places ; 

Crushed  effigies  in  crumbling  stalls, 
Resumed  their  forms  and  faces. 


v. 

And  skeletons  helped  with  rattling  noise 
To  empty  each  other's  graves, 

To  witness  the  troth  and  hear  the  voice 
Of  love  that  daintily  raves. 

VI. 

The  oldest  trees  did  shake  and  quake 

Up  to  their  farthest  shoots, 
As  each  skeleton  pulls 
Might  and  main  for  the  skulls, 

Meshed  in  the  tangled  roots. 

vn. 

You'd  think  it  was  a  lashing  hail 

Upon  the  branching  eaves ; 
Or  wild  despoiling  autumn  gale 

A  throttling  all  the  leaves. 


EVA.  33 

VIII. 

And  while  the  groups  are  gathering  round 

From  out  their  dim  abodes, 
The  woes  and  state  of  some  create 

Grim  ghastly  episodes. 


IX. 

A  horrid  shape  from  the  path  to  hell 
Escaped  to  quench  his  thirst, 

For  his  inside  scorch'd  as  flames  do  dwell 
In  house  pent  ere  they  burst. 


x. 

He  came  to  drink  of  the  mystic  Well 
Blessed  by  the  good  Saint  Ann, 

Whose  waters  boast  the  purest  spell 
From  Tallaght  to  Lough  Dan.6 


XL 

And  deftly  to  the  holy  pool 
This  ghastly  shape  forsooth 

Did  speed,  with  shrined  wave  to  cool 
His  hellish  scorching  drouth. 


EVA. 
XII. 

He  snatched  the  bo\vl  from  the  holy  stone, 
And  dived  it  in  the  Well ; 
But  yet  Avhile  there  flew 
His  pr.rehed  frame  through 
A  bliss  from  the  hoped-for  spell, 
A  hurrying  sprite 
Dashed  the  cup  from  his  sight, 
And  he  felt  o'er  again  pangs  of  hell. 


XIII. 

Oh  could  he  but  drink  of  the  shriving  wave, 

'Tvvould  give  him  the  freedom  of  soul 
To  think  of  a  heav'n ;  his  body  'twould  save 
From  the  torturing  pangs  of  a  hell-bound  grave 
He  snatches  again  at  the  bowL 


XIV. 

Is  it  Saint  Ann  ?  or  a  guarding  band  ? 

Or  hath  he  a  soul  conscience-barred  ? 
Again  the  cup  from  his  flaming  hand 

Is  dashed  by  some  unseen  guard — 


EVA.  35 

XV. 

And  a  voice,  like  the  rending  of  great  forest  oaks, 

Begat  on  his  ear,  with  a  yell, 
The  sentence  of  Fate — "Hence  slave  to  your 
state 

And  your  purgatorial  cell." 


XVI. 

He  shrunk  aback,  as  his  head  had  been 
Clove  with  Saint  Peter's  key, 

And  he  durst  not  look,  for  bell  and  book 
Had  told  him  where  he  would  be. 


xvn. 

And  a  group  kept  watching  a  tomb  in  the  aisle, 
And  they  grinned  a  wrathful,  vengeful  smile, 
In  wait  for  its  inmate's  skull ; 
For  he  was  a  lord, 
Whose  only  word 
Was  of  hate  to  the  poor, 
And  death  to  the  boor 
Who  made  not  his  door 
And  halls  with  venison  full ; 
* 


t>  EVA. 

xvra. 

And  oft  had  tins  baron  been  known  to  brag, 
The  number  of  vassals  he  clove  with  his  mace ; 

And  he  took  less  delight  racing  after  the  stag, 
Thau  he  did  in  staying  the  human  race. 

XIX. 

And  one  yelled  forth  a  merry  stave, 
A  hundred  choruss'd  the  verse ; 

And  from  under  a  cowl, 

A  relentless  jowl 
Mumbled  a  hopeful  curse. 

xx. 

And  one  whose  flesh  was  half  decayed 

Poured  forth  a  troublous  groan, 
Which  shook  the  slime  from  his  wormy  side, 

And  bared  it  to  the  bone. 


XXI. 

Some  had  on  cerements  gray,  which  flapped 
As  loose  sails  on  the  spars  of  a  ship ; 

And  some,  half-rotted  on  what  they  wrapped, 
Were  as  cobwebs  caught  on  a  chip. 


EVA.  37 

XXII. 

One  looked  at  her  tomb  as  at  her  glass, 
Ne'er  doubting  herself  'twould  bear, 
But  she  yelled  her  joy 
At  the  fond  foul  lie 
Pier  husband  had  sculptured  there. 

xxm. 

And  calling  a  troupe  of  like  wild  wives, 

She  bade  them  see  themselves — 
All  scampered  away  as  they  did  in  their  lives — 

A  pack  of  mad  vain  elves. 

XXIV. 

And  they  laughed,  did  this  brood  of  wanton 

wives, 

At  their  sculptured  acts,  and  cried — 
"  Ho !  ho  !  for  those  who  have  led  good  lives, 
They'll  have  no  surprise  when  they've  died." 

XXV. 

And  as  the  "  Yes"  from  Eva's  mouth 

Proclaimed  young  Kevin's  bride, 
All  swirled  as  though  the  grapes  of  the  South 

Were  gurgling  their  skulls  inside. 
4 


EVA. 


XXVI. 


And  a  jolly  mob  around  the  pair 

Prankt  madly  in  a  reel, 
And  chattered,  and  bowed,  and  flattered  aloud, 

The  lovers  with  devilish  zeal. 


xx  vn. 

But  lovers'  eyes,  though  ope  are  blind, 

And  lovers'  ears  are  deaf; 
'Tis  but  in  loving  lovers  find 

Love's  grief  or  love's  relief. 


xxvm. 

Young  Kevin  clasped  the  maid  again, 
The  embrace  was  soft  and  sweet ; 

The  bubbling  love  of  the  wooers  twain, 
At  parting  was  as  they'd  meet. 


XXIX. 

And  as  love's  tender  stupor  sheds 
Its  filmy  mask,  they  thought 

The  air  was  dotted  with  strange  heads, 
And  with  strange  noises  fraught. 


EVA. 


XXX. 


Their  skinny  digits  clasping  fast, 
The  mouldy  dancers  spin 

Swiftly  past — their  skulls  are  cast 
Into  one  circling  grin. 


XXXI. 


The  fluttering  Eva  nestled  close 

Unto  her  Kevin's  breast, — 
They  soothed  the  sudden  fears  that  rose, 

By  being  both  caressed. 


XXXII. 


"  The  noise" — it  was  the  weary  breeze, 

Or  Dodder's  plaining  tones : 
"  The  faces"— moonshine  through  the  trees 

Upon  the  quaint  old  stones. 


XXXIII. 


And  wilder,  swifter  speed  the  wraiths, 

As  on  a  whirlpool  leaves, 
Until  they  fade,  and  the  speering  maid 

Feels  she  herself  deceives. 


40  EVA. 

XXXIV. 

The  moon  breaks  from  her  camp  of  clouds, 
And  roams  the  clear  expanse ; 

The  ghosts  glide  into  their  slimy  shrouds, 
Tired  with  the  trysting  dance. 


EVA.  41 


PART    THIRD 


The  moon  was  taking  her  highest  roll, 
And  the  light  from  her  regnant  head, 

Enwrapped  the  stars,  like  a  mighty  scroll, 
With  eternity's  language  spread. 


n. 

The  crystal  blue  of  the  amhient  sky, 
The  crystal  light  of  the  moon, 

The  crystal  note  of  the  black-bird  nigh, 
Makes  echo  a  crystal  tune. 


m. 

The  stars  like  strings  of  a  heavenly  lyre, 

Swept  by  the  hands  of  Night, 
Fill  with  joy  the  cathedral  choir ; 

And  echo  is  turned  to  light. 
4* 


42  EVA. 

IV. 

And  down  the  moonlight  flutes  the  air, 
Each  beam  a  choral  column ; 

And  earth's  calm  but  responsive  prayer 
Blends  in  the  midnight  solemn.  <• 


v. 

And  heavenly  smiles  and  earthly  thanks 
In  their  descent  and  upward  flight, 

Pass  in  joyed  and  bowed  ranks 
Through  night's  corridors  of  light. 


VL 

The  wakeful  crags,  Kippure's  broad  brow 

Stand  out  in  bright  relief, 
Attendant  on  the  moon ;  and  throw 

The  glens  in  shadowed  grief. 


vn. 

Scarce  a  stir  was  up  in  the  air, 
Scarce  a  stir  on  the  earth, 

Save  lyrical  rills  from  the  elfin  hills 
Gamb'Uing  in  wildsome  mirth. 


EVA.  43 

vm. 
They  staved  and  raved  adown  the  stones, 

A  stop-note  every  pebble, 
To  quiver  the  chant  into  tinkling  tones 

Of  a  dulcet  treble. 

IX. 

At  the  time  of  fair  Eva's  vows 

To  Kevin's  love-lit  power, 
The  elfin  queen  her  courtiers  did  rouse 

To  meet  over  Alyagower. 

x. 

Bustling,  yet  noiseless,  came  along 

The  elves  from  midnight  sprees, 
Lowly  but  sweet  as  ever  was  song 

They  lilted  their  gathering  glees : 
So  genial  the  flow,  so  num'rous  the  throng, 

It  was  as  a  perfumed  breeze — 
Or,  like  a  forethought  of  Zephyr's  song, 

Balmy,  without  the  breeze. 

XI. 

As  diamond  thoughts  in  quaint  bard's  brain, 

This  aeriel  world  'gan  float ; 
And  linked,  as  the  gems  of  a  fountain  rain 

By  the  mist,  with  a  dewy  note. 


44  EVA. 

xn. 

A  haze  of  sound  enwrapped  the  elves 
As  the  mist  o'er  a  wayward  stream ; 

They  must  have  thought,  the  imps  themselves, 
They  were  in  an  elfin  dream. 


xm. 

And  hither  they  come,  so  various  dight- 
So  brilliant  their  guises  were, 

It  was  as  a  sudden  May  that  night, 
And  they  the  flow'rs  o'  the  air. 


xrv. 

Spirit  of  Heath  and  Daisy-dew, 

And  tiny  Blue-bell  first, 
Bounding  came,  with  the  elfin  crew, 

That  followed  in  a  burst. 


xv. 

Honey-suckle  and  Primrose-tip, 

Arm  in  arm,  I  wist — 
And  Evening-sigh  and  Tulip-lip, 

And  the  Fog-sprite,  Dodder-mist : 


EVA.  45 

XVI. 

Jessamine-breath  and  Woodbine-brow, 

Blessing  each  other's  way, 
And  Honey-tongue  and  Folks-glove^  now, 

And  many  a  valley  fay : 


xvn. 

The  scarlet  Dragon's-head  came  up, 

And  Morning-glory  too, 
Bearing  a  monstrous  purple  cup 

Gleaming  with  nectrous  dew : 


xvm. 

And  Apple-bloom  so  lustrous  white, 

Like  little  bride  of  old ; 
And  Dandelion,  like  ancient  king, 

With  collar  of  yellow  gold : 


XIX. 

And  from  the  Dodder's  coolest  vale 
The  Brook-elf,  braw  and  stout, 

In  armor  made  of  a  silver  scale 
Dropped  from  a  river  trout : 


46  EVA. 

XX. 

The  imp  of  glens,  wild  Thatchet-thorn, 
Reckless,  rollicking  sprite, 

Came  puffing,  like  a  November  morn 
Hunted  by  autumn  night : 


XXL 

The  Moon-elf  with  a  bright'ning  eye, 
And  never  a  wink,  came  in ; 

He  trimm'd  the  starry  lamps  on  high, 
And  shaded  the  ways  of  sin. 


XXIL 

And  Poppy-stem  with  night-cap  red, 

A  drowsy  pace  did  take ; 
But  Moon-elf  kicked  and  Thatchet  pricked 

The  imp  to  keep  him  awake. 


xxm. 

And  hosts  of  elfin  cliiefs  appeared 

Of  marvellous  renown, 
And  fairy  seannachies8with  beards 

Of  silver  thistle-down. 


EVA.  47 

XXIV. 

Oh,  myriads  came,  of  goblin  fame, 

From  glen-embower'd  ways, 
Where  cascades  keep  the  hills  from  sleep, 

In  witching  Wicklow's  praise ; 
From  Dodder's  nooks,  and  brawling  brooks, 

And  Liifey's  fairy  braes. 

xxv. 
They  came  tu  a  tower,  'tween  heav'n  and  earth, 

Built  in  the  dewy  air ; 
The  dreamliest  space  that  fanciful  mirth 

Could  deem  for  a  court  so  rare. 

XXVI. 

They  carried  a  cloud  away  up  to  the  moon 

And  trailed  it  across  the  light, 
So  the  beam  from  below,  and  the  beam  from  aboon, 

Made  a  floor  and  a  ceiling  bright. 

xxvn. 

And  they  sprent  the  floor  with  gathered  dews 
Which  shone  like  a  pavement  of  gems, 

And  arch'd  columns  made 

Of  the  clear  cascade, 
Caught  ere  it  broke  in  diadems. 


48  EVA. 

XXVIII. 

From  quarried  mines  of  perfume,  the  walls — 
The  casement  of  spiders  web,  quaint, 
And  the  toiling  stars 
Snatch  a  peep  through  the  bars, 
And  pale  at  their  own  restraint. 

XXIX. 

And  o'er  the  throne  of  Cleena  the  queen, 
In  the  nave  of  this  fairy  pile, 

A  tulip  leaf  rained 

Its  hues,  like  the  stained 
Glass  saints  in  cathedral  aisle. 

XXX. 

Thus  met,  the  queen  with  an  airy  tongue, 
Like  a  sweet  voice  heard  in  a  dream, 

Half  cadenced  her  will,  half  liltingly  sung 

Yet  singing  it  only  did  seem. 

XXXL 

Oh,  her's  was  the  sweetest, 
Richest,  completest, 
Most  musical,  magic,  and  dearest, 
Mystic  and  lowly, 
Swelling  but  slowly, 
The  warmest  of  voices,  and  clearest ! 


EVA.  49 

XXXII. 

"  Sisters  and  brothers — subjects  all, 

From  Tallaght  to  Kippure, 
From  the  dusky  valleys, 
Where  the  sunset  rallies, 
All  our  gallant  armies  to  my  evening  call — 
From  the  heathy  hill-side, 
From  the  dreamy  rill-side, 
From  the  spray  entrancing, 
In  the  star-light  glancing, 
O'er  the  rocky  barriers  in  the  Dodder's  way, — 
Ye,  my  loved  and  loving, 
Ye,  the  spry  and  roving, 
Ye,  that  know  a  living  dead  to  things  of  clay, 
Ye,  from  Tallaght's  meadows. 

To  the  bleak  Kippure, 
Ye,  I  want — my  shadows ! 

A  maiden  to  secure. 


"  Cluricauns  from  haunted  Brake, 

Fays  of  Alyagower, 
I've  a  maid  from  earth  to  take 
Worthy  fairy  power. 


50  EVA. 

XXXIV. 

u  Wild  elves  from  the  witeh'd  Cornaun, 

Whose  broad  brow  the  thunder  mocks, 
And  all  ye  that  wraithe  Glaneree, 

Or  guard  the  lonely  haunted  Loughs, — ' 


xxxv. 

"  Where  the  eagle  mountain  stands 

O'er  the  dismal  wave  below ; 
Like  man's  suicidal  thought 
Brooding  flight  from  earthly  wo : 


xxxvi. 

"  There  is  a  maid  of  mildest  mien, 

But  radiant  in  its  mildness ! 
Loving  and  loved  in  the  bounds  atween, 
Where  we  hold  our  wildness." 


XXXVII. 

"I  saw — I  spied  (and  laughed  in  pride), 

As  I  skipt  o'er  yon  ruin," 
Said  Thatchet-thorn,  holding  his  side, 
"  Twain  Gaffers  there  a  wooin'." 


EVA.  51 

XXXVIII. 

"  Ha !  ha !  Oh  Berry,"  Thatchet  scritched, 
"An  elf  with  hum- drum  twisting 
The  other  dainty  hoyden  witched, 
And  she  said,  '  No  resisting !' 

XXXIX. 

"  I  feth  it  was  a  mouthful  speck, 
I  wiss  to  see  them" — 

"Hold  sir, 

Chain  thy  tongue  or  I'll  instant  wreck 
Thy  chine,  for  being  bold,  sir." 

XL. 

Thatchet  sneak'd  off  in  the  crowd 

Under  the  wing  of  a  fly, 
And  he  tickled  the  fly's  kind  shroud, 

For  tears  came  in  laughter's  eye. 

XLT. 

"  As  I  gamboll'd  and  caught  the  dew," 

Quo'  the  Queen, — "  to  deck  our  halls, 
The  prancing  gnats  my  chariot  drew 
Above  yon  ivied  walls. 


52  EVA. 

XLII. 

"  Oh,  Lily-tint !  Oh,  Honey-tongue ! 

Such  a  face  and  form — so  airy, 
As  were  those  ruins  old  among ! 
She  should  have  been  a  fairy. 


XLiir. 

"  And  by  her  side  was  a  hend  youth,  who 

Was  pleading  love  distressing, 
And  with  harmonious  plaining,  too, 
He  charmed  the  maid's  caressing. 


XLIV. 

"  She  is  too  fair  for  mortal  man, 

Too  bright  for  earthly  life, 
More  formed  for  elfin  joyaunce  than 
Queen  of  a  heart-ache  strife." 


XLV. 

("  An'  ay,  besides,"  cried  Thatchet-thorn, 
"  'Twill  wrath  the  youth  most  drearily, 
For  which  I'd  spree  ten  moons  to  see — 
An'  that  I  would  most  cheerily  !") 


EVA.  53 

XLVI. 

u  We  must  save  her  !  \ve  must  have  her, 

Ere  the  dews  of  evening  fall, 
On  to-morrow,  and  I'll  borrow 
All  your  freaks  to  aid  my  call." 

"Ho!  ho!"  yell'd,  merrily,  Thatchet. 

XLVH. 
"  We  must  save  her  !  we  must  have  her, 

Ere  the  lovers  meet  again, 
And  we'll  bring  her,  and  we'll  sing  her 
Fairy  songs  of  soothing  strain." 

"  I  fecks  we  wiU  !"  quo'  Thatchet. 


"  And  we'll  charm  her,  but  not  harm  her, 

To  forget  all  ties  of  earth  ; 
For  we'll  spell-bind,  ay,  and  well  bind 
All  our  arts  to  cause  her  mirth." 

"  An'  I'm  your  man  !"  quo'  Thatchet. 

XLIX. 

"  We,  you  Thatchet-thorn  commission  — 
Thatchet  list,  you  wayward  wight  — 
To  bethink  and  twist  our  wish  on 
Witching  this  young  maiden  bright. 


54  EVA. 

L. 

"  Good  lack,  ah  me !  ho,  ho ! — "What  now  ?" 

Laughed  Thatchet — "ThaCs  jour  measure !" 
And  he  smoothed  a  wrinkle  on  old  Time's  brow 
"With  a  loud  smack  of  pleasure. 


LI. 

The  wily,  revelling  devil,  Thorn, 
Swung  wild  in  a  cobweb's  loop ; 

A  rakish  imp  as  ever  was  born, 
On  the  spider  he  sat  with  a  "  Whoop !" 


Ln. 

"  All  the  Spreethogue  elves  ye  ken, 

From  Lough  Bray  to  Kill-tipper, 
Shall  follow  Thatchet,  through  fen  and  glen, 
To  aid  the  imp  to  clip  her." 

Lm. 

Thatchet  in  glee,  was  tumbling  round, 
The  cap  of  a  queen-bee's  knee ; 

So  joyous  was  he  to  be  crown'd, 

Leading  a  prank  in  fairy  ground, 
And  scritched  right  gleefully ! 


EVA.  55 

LIV. 

"  Hip,  do  dun ! 

'Tis  said — she's  won  ! 
I'll  smother  my  feet  in  the  thistle-down, 

Or  skate  on  the  snail's  bright  track, 
Or,  I'll  hide  in  the  pond'rous  skin-cloak,  brown, 

Flayed  from  the  wood-mouse'  back ! 
Or,  I'll  straddle  on  spider's  crup,  as  he  weaves 

In  the  nave  of  yon  ruin  his  thread — 
Or,  I'll  lie  in  amidst  of  two  wild  mint  leaves, 
And  roll  to  a  noon-eyed  bed. 

I'll  watch  her — I'll  catch  her — 

I  will!  I  will! 
Through  alley  or  valley, 

In  bower  or  hill ! 

I  see  her !  I  feel  her !  I  have  her !  ha,  ha !" 
And  he  sprang  at  his  joyous  note, 
And  he  laughed,  till  all  doubt 
Such  a  loud  elfin's  shout 
Leaped  from  an  elfin  throat. 

LV. 

"  Ha !  ha !" — laughed  he,  as  he  woke  the  light 
Of  a  star  that  slept  on  the  pavement, 
And  he  tumbled  him  round 
To  a  jocular  sound, 
Regardless  of  court  behavement. 


56  EVA. 


LVI. 

u  Hey,  in  the  ruin, 
Lovers  will  be  wooing, 

Little  guessing, 

In  caressing, 
What  the  elves  are  doing. 


"  Hey,  in  the  even, 
Lovers  will  be  grieving, 

Little  knowing 

What  is  growing 
For  their  hearts'  deceiving. 

"  By  the  set  of  sun 
To-morrow,  she's  won ! 

"  For  o'er  the  bog, 
Or  through  the  fog, 
Under  the  hill, 
Over  the  rill, 
In  the  moonlight, 
Or  the  noonlight, 
Bat's  wing  riding, 
Owl's  beak  chiding, 
On  Pooka  prancing, 
Or  star-light  dancing, 


EVA.  5 

Whatever  ye  wot 
On  earth,  or  be  not, 
Eft  soon  that  it  is, 
For  Thatchet,  I  wis, 
Is  the  sprite  that  is  here 

To  eke  whatever  ye  ken  ! 
For  aught  be  it  murky,  or  yea  be  it  clear — 

I'm  slave  to  the  Queen  o'  the  glen ! 
Be  it  done  in  a  moon's  or  sun's  career, 
I'm  slave  to  the  Queen  o'  the  glen  1" 

LVH. 

"  Hail  to  our  Cleena,  Queen  o'  the  glen," 
Shouted  the  elves  and  fairy  land  then, 
Up  took  the  echo,  and  out-sped  again — 

"  Hail  to  our  Cleena,  Queen  o'  the  a;len." 


EVA.  59 


PART    FOURTH. 


The  night  is  gone,  the  morning  past, 
And  that  noon  dead  forever ; 

And  evening  comes,  like  a  shadow  cast, 
Time's  brighter  tints  to  sever. 


n. 

An  evening  like  the  yester  one, 
A  calm  and  balmy  eve, 

Like  nun,  afraid  that  sighing  tone 
"Would  make  her  bosom  heave. 


m. 

All  was  still  as  a  sleeping  fair, 
Placid  with  heav'nly  dreaming, 

"Whose  visions  of  bliss  to  her  fancy  were 
Double  their  actual  seeming. 


60  EVA. 


IV. 


The  gentle  Eva  forth  had  sped, 

To  meet  her  idoll'd  lover ; 
The  daisy  bent  not  heneath  her  tread, 

As  Innocence  did  above  her. 


v. 

Two  genial  faces-under-a  hood, 
Drinking  the  welcome  dew, 

Seemed,  in  a  joy  of  brotherhood, 
Toasting  her  beauty  too. 


VI. 

The  Cowslip  and  the  Buttercup, 

They  bowed  a  silent  bliss, 
And  Forget-me-not,  in  the  lonely  spot, 

Stole  from  the  sod  a  kiss. 


vn. 

Fond  memory's  emblatic  elf, 

He  noted  the  passing  one, 
And  kissed,  in  lieu  the  charmer's  self, 

The  ground  she  trod  upon. 


EVA.  61 

VIII. 

And  thus  the  plants,  in  each  other's  joy, 

Show  how  they  felt  for  hers, 
And  kissed  once  more,  as  she  tript  o'er, 

"With  the  zeal  of  worshippers ! 

IX. 

The  meadow-sweet  waved  like  a  bridal  plume ; 
And  the  streamlet  by  the  path 

Kept  on  a  wild  pace, 

To  be  sunn'd  by  her  face, 
Such  radiance  its  beauty  hath. 


x. 

Now  was  her  heart  a  brimful  cup, 
With  Love's  delicious  presence, 

And  thoughts  of  Kevin  bubbled  up 
To  the  top  of  the  sparkling  essence. 


XT. 

Her  bearing  bright,  her  footstep  light 

As  a  May-wafted  feather ; 
She  seemed  a  humanized  delight, 

As  skipt  she  o'er  the  heather. 


62  EVA. 


XII. 


And  oh,  why  should  she  not  present 

Incarnate  love  and  rapture  ? 
Loving  and  loved — witli  two  joys  sprent, 

Yielding,  and  making  a  capture! 


XIII. 


'Tis  only  thus  that  true  Love's  years 

Roll  free  of  pain  and  sin — 
The  sin  of  doubt :  who  happy  wears 

Love's  crown,  must  yield  to  win. 

XIV. 

And  oh !  Heaven  help  the  loving  heart 
That  meets  no  love  in  turn, 

And  send  its  light,  to  save  from  blight 
That  passion-bursting  urn. 

xv. 

The  heart  that  links  unto  a  heart, 

Unknowing  if  it  beats, 
May  never  find,  its  once  clear  mind, 

And  peace  it  never  meets — 
Earth  has  no  future  for  its  kind ; 

'No  past,  but  killing  sweets. 


EVA.  63 


XVI. 


But  Eva,  blessing  in  her  love, 

Was  bless'd  in  her  adorer ; 
The  present  seem'd  but  as  Peter's  gate 

To  the  heavenly  fate  before  her. 


XVII. 


As  moved  she  down  the  hilly  side, 
Like  blossom  weather-wafted, 

Crowning  the  air  with  double  pride 
Of  fragrance  then  engrafted — 


xvni. 

A  charming  strain  falls  on  her  ear, 

A  thrilling  measure  'tis, 
And  tender,  too.     She  stay'd  to  hear- 

"  Ah !  yes,  'tis  surely  his ! 


XIX. 


"  Ah,  yes—  it  must  be  Kevin's  harp ! 

It  is  that  love-lorn  strain 
He  often  plays."     She  eager  stays 
To  catch  the  loved  refrain. 


64:  EVA. 

XX. 

*  And  yet  she  stays :  adown  her  head 

Low  bent,  as  joyed  she  grew, 
And  hands  upraised,  as  though  they  said- 
"  Hush,  birds,  and  listen  too !" 


xxr. 

The  strain  swept  on — sweet  harmony — 

The  maiden  soul  held  still, 
As  though  each  magic  symphony 

Could  chain  or  free  at  will. 


XXII. 

"  Now  shall  I  give  my  love  surprise !" 

And  round  she  sprang  in  glee ; 
But  nothing  there  stood  proof  her  eyes, 
And  wonder-struck  was  she. 


XXIII. 

Wonder  struck  was  the  maiden  young, 

At  her  deceit  of  ee ; 
But  a  voice  yet  sung,  and  a  harp  still  rung, 

And  still  the  strain  hears  she. 


EVA. 


XXIV. 


Yea,  still  its  ripples  lave  her  ears, 
More  dulcet  than  before, 

And  every  wave  of  sound  she  hears 
Is  met  by  an  eager  shore. 


XXV. 

Now  plaintive  rose  the  witching  lay, 
And  now  a  subdued  splendor 

Trids  the  dulcet  anguish  through, 
So  passionately  tender : 


XXVI. 

And  now  a  voice  of  sadness  pours 

Its  soul  upon  the  air ; 
While  the  maiden  stays  as  one  delays 

On  last  words  of  a  prayer. 


U) 

Where  is  my  darling — 
Oh,  where  is  her  shadow? 
Is  she  in  the  meadow, 

Singing  with  the  starling  ? 


66  EVA. 


Is  she  by  the  river  ? — 
Is  she  mid  the  trees  ? — 

Ah !  iny  heart  is  ever 
Searching  her  and  ease. 


(n.) 

I've  heard  the  starling, 
I've  been  in  the  meadow, 
But  saw  not  the  shadow 
Of  Eva  my  darling. 
She's  not  by  the  water — 

She's  not  in  the  wood — 
Thro'  the  trees  I've  sought  her, 
And  down  by  the  flood. 


(m.) 

I  told  the  starling 

To  sing  out  my  maiden ; 
Robin,  too,  is  laden, 
With  news  for  my  darling ; 
And  the  little  sparrow 

That  chirps  in  the  thatch, 
And  swallow,  fleet  as  arrow, 
Go  my  love  to  catch. 


EVA.  67 

(IV.) 

I  told  the  starling, '     . 
Sparrow,  and  the  swallow, 
Ere  they  went  to  follow, 
Where  I'd  meet  my  darling : 
Not  in  fields  of  clover, 
Neither  in  the  bower, 
Nor  by  rushing  rover, 
But  here,  at  this  hour. 

XXVII. 

"  Now  shall  I  give  my  love  surprise !" 

And  round  she  tript  in  glee ; 
But  nothing  there  stood  proof  her  eyes, 
And  wonder  struck  was  she. 

xxvin. 

But  still  the  air  with  song  is  fraught, 

Making  sweet  the  gloaming ; 
'Tis  plain  the  singer's  anxious  thought 

But  echoes  to  his  roaming. 

XXIX. 

"Not  infields  of  clover, 
Neither  in  the  bower, 
Nor  by  rushing  rover, 
But  here,  at  this  hour" 


68  EVA. 


XXX. 


Now  Eva  deftly  stole  along — 
Softly  crept  the  maiden — 

Aside  the  brake,  the  shrubs  among, 
Her  breath  love-ful  laden. 


XXXI. 

Scarcely  breathing  crept  she,  listening- 
Catching  whence  the  sounds  arose ; 

Her  love-laughing  eyes  were  glistening, 
At  the  sight  they  will  disclose. 

xxxn. 

Her  thoughts  were  laughing  amongst  them 
selves — 

To  steal  -so — such  a  treat ! 
Little  thought  she,  the  airy  elves 

Were  laughing  at  Love's  defeat. 

XXXIII. 

Little  she  dreamt  that  an  elfin  harp, 
Tuned  to  a  mortal  ear, 

Was  pilf 'ring  the  store, 

At  the  sill  of  Love's  door, 
And  making  the  door  a  bier. 


EVA.  69 


XXXIV. 

"Not  infields  of  clover, 
Neither  in  the  hower, 
Nor  ty  rushing  rover, 
But  here,  at  this  hour" 


xxxv. 

More  sorrowful  the  voice  became, 
In  grief  at  her  not  coming ; 

Now  near  it  wails,  in  a  tone  of  blame, 
Now  at  a  distance  humming. 


XXXVI.  . 

Behind  her  once  it  moaned  in  pain, 
And  then  it  crooned  before  her ; 

By  her  side,  anon,  as  though  the  strain 
Would  weave  a  madness  o'er  her. 


xxxvn. 

On  she  sprang,  with  Hope's  wild  strength — 

Round  she  trod  the  strain : 
To  right  trod  she — to  left  trod  she, 

And  trod  all  o'er  again. 


70  EVA. 


XXXVIII. 


Till  wearied  out,  her  tender  frame, 
By  longing  hope  deferred, 

She  sank  down  on  the  spot — the  same 
Where  first  the  tune  she  heard. 


XXXIX. 

As  though  her  mother  Earth  would  bear 

Some  comfort  to  her  dearth, 
As  Indian  catches  in  his  ear, 
The  presence  of  some  mortal  near, 
By  listening  to  the  earth. 

XL. 

And  thoughts  rose  up  within  her  lips, 
To  tell  what  anguish  wrung 

Her  heart,  but  fell,  as  fountain  drips, 
Back  to  whence  they  sprung. 

XLI. 

For  beat  her  heart  so  piteously, 

No  word  could  dare  essay, 
To  fill  its  grief,  or  sorrow  dree, 

Or  soothe  its  Woes  away. 


ETA.  71 


XIJI. 


And  as  she  lay,  the  song  once  more 
Burst  in  upon  her  swoon, 

As  the  mystic  fire  that  revels  o'er 
The  dismal-faced  lagoon  : 


"Not  infields  of  clover. 

Neither  in  the  omcer, 
Nor  by  rushing  rover, 
But  here,  at  this  hour" 


XLIV. 


And  as  bright  morning  bursts  from  night, 
Sweet  words  escaped  her  gloom  — 

"And  lam  here,  my  Kevin  dear, 
I'm  thine  unto  the  tomb." 


XLV. 


Her  thought  so  spread  her  lifeless  form, 

It  shook  her  till  she  wake  ; 
And  lo  !  as  sun  o'er  March  cloud  dun, 

Her  love  bounds  o'er  the  brake. 


72  EVA. 

XL  VI. 

And  quickly  raised  was  Eva  fair, 

Unto  his  sheltering  heart ; 
And  nestling  there,  as  thought  in  speech- 
The  heaven  she  had  pined  to  reach — 

She  prayed  they  "  never  part." 

XLVH. 

"  And  are  you  mine  ?" 

"  Thine,  only  thine ! 
Ay,  darling  youth,  forever ! 
The  earth  holds  not,  so  fair  a  lot, 
That  could  me  from  thee  sever !" 


XLvm. 

"  Oh,  speak  on  yet — my  Eva,  yet — 

Why  should  such  sun-thoughts  dally :" 
"  I  am  thine,"  she  cried,  "  while  the  sky  is  blue, 
Or  the  Dodder  its  Glan-nis-mole  sings  through ; 
While  the  seasons  roll,  and  the  loving  birds 
Warble  to  each  their  aerial  words ! 
Though  death  should  come,  my  love  still  true, 
As  the  tree  to  the  sod  from  which  it  grew — 
While  those  darling  hills — those  elf-bound  hills, 
Embrace  with  calm  shadows  their  offspring  rills, 


EVA.  73 


Or  Kippure,  like  an  aged  parent  fills 
The  throne  of  state, 
"With  pride  elate, 
And  fatherly  views  the  valley  1" 


XLIX. 

"  Mine — only  mine  ?" 

"  Forever  thine !" 

And  she  clung  around  the  youth 
With  the  fervor  which  betrays  itself, 

Supporting  a  woman's  truth. 


He  kissed  her,  and  excess  of  joy 

So  wrought,  when  strength  had  gone, 

She  Telt  that  dizziness  which  doubts 
The  fact  one  gazes  on. 


LL  • 

She  felt  as  lifted  from  the  sod 
Into  his  dear  embrace — 

But  were  it  clouds  her  Kevin  trod, 
She'd  tread  the  self-same  place. 


74  EVA. 


LH. 


Half  waking  from  her  swoon  of  heart, 

She  feels  her  in  the  air, 
Mid  inyrial  crowds  that  nimbly  part, 

To  make  her  pathway  there. 


LIU. 


Around,  the  sky — below,  dim  void — 

And  up  she's  onward  driven : 
'Tis  a  dream,  like  those  her  childhood  enjoyed- 

Dreaming  of  going  to  heaven. 


LIV. 

But  round  quaint  little  spectres  flit, 
Like  motes  in  her  bright  splendor ; 

With  jocund  songs  and  gleeful  wit, 
And  fragile  shapes  so  tender. 


LV. 

And  hither  they  run,  and  thither  they  run, 
In  vain  their  glee  to  smother ; 

And  air  looked  a  moving  mine  of  gems, 
As  they  pelt  dew  at  each  other. 


EVA.  75 

LVI. 

She  clasped  her  arms  about  the  youth, 

To  feel  had  she  been  sleeping, 
Full  pure  in  confidence  and  truth, 

Of  safety  in  his  keeping. 

LVH. 
'Tis  surely  all  some  witching  dream, 

Else  her  eyes  need  heart's  upbraiding, 
For  Kevin,  like  the  mist  on  stream, 

From  her  wild  clasp  is  fading : 

LVIH. 

As  shadow  deftly  fades  away, 

When  light  approaches  clearer-, 
Her  opening  gaze  the  maid  betrays — 

No  youthful  Kevin's  near  her. 

LIX. 

The  shape  she  prest  to  her  maiden  breast 

Has  dwindled  like  a  flower, 
And  left  but  a  wizened,  withered  stem — 
She  sees  the  elves — she  has  heard  of  them. 
Her  whole  life  crowds  in  a  frantic  thought, 
And  crushes  her  as  the  truth  is  caught : 


76  EVA. 

"  Oh,  hope  belied — oh,  Love,"  she  cried, 
"  I  have  madly  leased  my  soul  from  you, 
While  the  Dodder  runs  and  the  sky  is  blue !" 
And  swooned  in  the  elfin  power. 


LX. 

And  wildly  laughed  imp  Thatchet  then — 

He  roaring  and  running  by  fits, 
Till  e'en  the  elf-train,  thought  again  and  again 

He'd  lose  his  elfin  wits. 


LXI. 

Still  alluring,  still  she  follows 
In  the  love-struck  elfin  trance, 

Far  beyond  the  cloudy  hollows, 
To  where  vagrant  planets  dance. 


LXH. 

Once  they  rested  high  in  the  blue, 
To  school  their  wondering  care ; 

And  Time  a  lengthy  cobweb  threw, 
To  teach  her  to  walk  the  air. 


EVA.  77 


LXIII. 


In  vast  circles  gathering  round  her, 
As  the  systems  round  the  sun, 

Endless  splendors  hold,  astound  her — 
Still  beginning,  never  done. 


LXIV. 


Moving  like  vast  seas  of  brilliants, 
Each  contributing  its  light 

To  the  forming  of  a  circle, 
That  shuts  out  forever  Night. 


LXV. 


Still  revolving,  glittering  onward, 
High  they  chant  a  fairy  glee, 

As  they  pass,  the  echo,  gone-ward, 
Answers  to  her — "  Who  are  ye  ?" 


(O 

We  are  Faeries — gleesome  Faeries ! 

From  the  haunted  raths  below ; 
We  are  Faeries — tricksy  Faeries, 

From  the  glistening  peaks  of  snow, 
7* 


78  EVA. 

From  the  far  hills  to  the  valley, 
From  the  valley  to  the  shore, 
And  from  shore  to  shore  we  rally, 
Never  less,  and  evermore  ! 
From  the  far  light 

Of  Aurora, 
From  the  star-light 

To  the  earth — 
From  the  sprye-lands 

Of  rich  Flora, 
To  the  sky-lands, 
We  hold  mirth ! 

(n.) 
We  may  caper  on  the  sunbeam, 

Or  rest  behind  the  moon, 
When  the  pleasaunce  of  our  night-dream 

Ushers  in  a  lazy  noon  ; 
We  raise  a  monument  of  dew, 
Distilled  from  aerial  flowers, 
And  joys  like  these  are  waiting  you, 
And  every  charm  that's  ours. 
From  the  icebergs 

Of  the  Yikings— - 
From  the  spice-bergs 
Of  the  East— 


EVA.  70 

To  the  Prairies, 

Are  the  likings, 
For  the  Faeries' 

Glorious  feast ! 

(m.) 
We  may  stretch  a  bridge  from  pole  to  pole, 

Wing  earth,  and  all  that's  in  it, 
Over  the  spheres,  or  round  we  can  roll, 

Or  pass  through  in  a  minute. 
We  are  Faeries — happy  Faeries ! 

Giddy,  tinted  shades  of  dew : 
Whose  ever-bursting  joy  ne'er  varies, 
But  to  double — so  shall  you ! 
From  the  prismal 
Sun-light  glory, 
To  the  dismal 

Caves  of  earth — 
From  the  Flood-god's 

Saga's  hoary, 
To  the  Wood-gods, 

Give  us  mirth ! 
We  are  Faeries — happy  Faeries, 

Kings  of  earth  and  sea  and  blue ; 
Whose  ever-bursting  joy  ne'er  varies, 
But  to  double — so  shall  you ! 


80  EVA. 


LXVI. 


"  I  fecks  you  will,"  quo'  Thatchet.     «  Trae ! 

And  if  you  best  have  a  mate 
Like  me,"  and  he  kissed  young  Daisy-dew, 
Who  dealt  him  a  box  on  the  pate. 


LXVTT. 

Eva  was  listless  of  all  earth, 

Enchanting  her  promised  dower ; 

And  her  eyes  are  tinct  with  elfin  dew, 
To  give  her  sight  elfin  power. 


Lxvm. 

And  soon  with  the  rites  of  Elfin  Land 
They  shrive  the  maid  from  clay ; 

And  she,  in  the  joy  of  the  fairy  band, 
Is  not  less  gay  than  they. 


LXIX. 

She  revels  along  as  though  she  ne'er 

Was  born  out  o'  the  blue, 
And  floats  athrough  the  loving  air, 

Scarce  knowing  she  passes  through. 


EVA.  81 

LXX. 

And  joyously  down  the  azure  space, 
They  sweep  like  a  stellar  shower, 

To  meet  the  Queen  at  the  gathering  place, 
By  the  Brocken  on  Alyagower. 


83 


PART    FIFTH. 


Young  Kevin  went  to  the  ruin  gray, 

Quilted  in  ivy  green, 
Where  yestere'en  his  love  did  pray, 

And  Eva's  had  plighted  been. 


n.  • 

The  young  oak  branches  sighing,  bow'd, 
The  weird  yew  wept  aghast, 

And  the  ivy  leaves,  a  clustering  crowd, 
Shivered  as  he  passed. 


m. 

The  sad  old  ruin  lonely  stood, 

A  solemn  sight  to  see, 
Like  one  who  suffering  for  his  love, 

Longs  from  the  earth  to  flee. 


84  EVA. 

IV. 

Yet  there  it  stood  mid  the  solitude, 
And  the  wave-like  graves  so  dim, 

A  beacon  rock  midst  the  ghostly  flock, 
Beloved  unto  him. 


v. 

For  to  him  it  brought  thoughts  of  love, 

Of  purpose  high  and  pure : 
He  thankful  felt  to  heaven  above, 

And  on  the  earth  secure. 


VI. 

Beneath  its  calm  and  holy  shade, 
His  kindling  heart  had  burned, 

And  blazed,  and  spread,  until  the  maid 
Its  every  glow  returned. 


vn. 

And  who,  though  frosted  o'er  by  Time, 

Or  varied  fortune,  can 
Forget  the  place,  where  woman's  grace 

First  made  him  feel  a  man. 


EVA.  85 


VIII. 


What  heart  that  does  not  hold  the  scene, 

As  heaven's  foretaste  here ; 
The  purest,  best,  that  eyes  caressed ! 

Beyond  all  others,  dear? 


IX. 

God  pity  him  whose  peevish  fate, 
Or  thoughtless,  callous  ways, 

Cannot  with  such  remembrance  mate 
Sweet  comfort,  bliss,  and  praise. 


x. 

And  can  we  wonder  Kevin  thrilled 
With  feelings  strangely  new, 

Where  Eva's  yearning  bounty  filled 
The  hopes  that  burned  him  through. 


XI. 

The  echoes  of  her  blessed  voice 
In  spreading  sounds  still  seethed 

Around  the  spot,  and  the  youth's  heart  caught 
So  tightly,  he  scarce  breathed  : 


86  EVA. 

xn. 

Lest  with  the  breathing  he  might  fail 

To  catch  each  fancied  tone, 
That  bade  him  a  life-pathway  hew, 
Wide  and  bright  enough  for  two, 
Nor  henceforth  be  alone. 


XIII. 

The  scene,  the  sounds,  the  hopes  did  span 

The  youth ;  till  past  control 
Their  mingling  pleasures  over-ran, 

The  chalice  of  his  soul ; 


XIV. 

And  burst  forth  into  frenzied  speech 
Which  he  could  not  suppress : 

But  what  are  words  to  teach,  or  reach 
The  wants  of  happiness  ? 

XT. 

"  Ah,  happy  me !  O  chosen  one, 

Thy  fasting  eyes  prepare, 
To  feast  their  hungry  glances  on 
Thy  life-absorbing  fair  1 


EVA.  87 


XVI. 


"  Ah,  happy  me !  O  proudest  one ! 

Restrain  thy  throbbing  side  : 

It  swells  amain  with  radiant  pain 

Till  conies  thy  radiant  bride." 


XVII. 

Ah,  well-a-day,  and  wo  is  me, 

That  hath  this  tale  to  tell : 
Would  that  the  elves  had  left  me  free 

To  break  the  fairy  spell. 

XVIII. 

The  while  young  Kevin  Dhu  devoured 

His  brain  with  hopeful  bliss ; 
The  gloaming  fled,  by  night  o'erpowered, 
And  the  long  grass  on  the  dim  graves  cowered 

Beneath  the  dew's  cold  kiss. 


XIX. 

A  shaking  off  love's  lethargy, 
That  captive  held  each  limb, 

The  doubts  and  tears,  of  passion's  fears, 
In  a  torrent  burst  o'er  him. 


88  EVA. 

XX. 

He  wandered  up,  he  wandered  down, 
He  counted  every  tomb ; 

They  seemed  with  a  ghoulish  pith 
But  mimicking  his  doom. 


XXI. 

Which  way  he  turned — each  tomb  he  read, 

Held  nothing  to  his  eye, 
Save  these  huge  hopeless  words  of  dread — 

"  Sacred  to  Memory." 


XXII. 

With  startling  apathy  he  took, 
His  eyes  from  death  and  clay, 

And  up  into  the  heavens  did  look, 
For  some  heart-easing  ray. 


xxin. 

But  as  to  chill  his  fibres  through, 
And  warn  his  aching  sight, 

A  black  cloud,  like  a  hand,  came  o'er 
And  hid  the  eye  of  night. 


EVA.  89 


XXIV. 


The  weary,  sad,  suggestive  tombs, 
The  black  and  dreary  cloud, 

The  trees  like  beck'ning  funeral  plumes, 
The  ivy  like  a  shroud ; 


xxv. 

y 

The  Dodder's  cloud-affrighted  waves, 

A  moaning,  stealthily  past, 
The  winds  that  wail  down  the  crooked  vale 

And  burst  into  gusts  at  last : 


XXVI. 

Conveyed  to  him  a  weakening  sense 

Of  desolation  near, 
Till  he  scarce  could  gasp  'neath  the  icy  grasp 

That  crushed  his  heart  with  fear. 


xx  vn. 

He  thought  he  heard  upon  the  air, 

Around  the  ruin  dim, 
Strange  voices  mutter  as  in  prayer, 

And  say — "  God  pity  him." 


90  EVA. 

xxvm. 

His  eyes  were  fraught  with  helpless  power, 

Into  the  dark  saw  he ; 
And  he  read  as  plain  as  at  noonday  hour — 

"  Sacred  to  Memory." 


XXIX. 

The  Cross,  as  one  with  outstretched  arms 
And  head  to  heaven,  did  seem 

To  tell  him  that  'gainst  charms  and  harms 
Of  earth  it  was  supreme. 


xxx. 

Upon  the  youth's  bleak  ashen  heart 
This  holy  thought  did  move 

The  embers,  till  there  leapt  apart 
The  flames  of  Faith  and  Love. 


XXXI. 

The  dark  distempers  of  his  brain 
Before  his  Faith  rushed  out — 
"  Oh,  dearest  love,  she'll  come  again, 
Why — why  should  I  e'er  doubt." 


EVA. 


91 


xxxn. 

"  To-morrow  I  will  clasp  my  fair 

More  bright  than  mountain  fay !" 
The  sky  became  more  overcast, 
He  shivering  Saint  Anne's  Well  past, 
The  winds  grew  wild,  more  black  the  sky, 
And  the  shaggy  trees,  as  he  went  by, 
In  mournful  dirges  called  him  back ; 
But  he  held  on  his  lonely  track, 
Sighing,  saying,  "  Fairest  fair, 
More  bright  than  mountain  fay  I" 
And  he  took  himself,  though  loth  to  part, 
From  the  spot  so  dear  to  his  hopes  and  heart, 
And  homeward  bent  his  way. 

xxxm. 
Days,  and  weeks,  and  months,  and  years, 

Passed  over,  and  the  youth 
Still  paced  the  place  of  love  and  tears, 

Where  he  had  pledged  his  troth. 

xxxiv. 
He  there  might  pace  till*  Judgment-day, 

Pace  he  might  for  ever, 
For  her  he  sought  in  the  ruin  gray, 

Again  on  earth  stood  never. 


92  EVA. 


XXXV. 


Beneath  the  Cross  in  that  ruin  gray, 
The  tombs  right  fronting  where 

His  Eva  sat,  his  manhood's  day 
Passed,  talking  to  the  air. 


xxxvi. 


And  oft  he  played  his  harp  and  sung 

The  rhymes  he  used  to  sing, 
And  oft  her  name  was  on  his  tongue 


In  senseless  wandering. 


xxxvir. 


And  when  at  deep  sun-set  he  played 

Some  plaintive  air  she  loved, 
He  thought  the  rocks  and  woods  betrayed 

A  feeling,  and  were  moved. 


xxxvm. 

The  hills  seemed  leaving  the  dreary  posts 

They  had  sentinelled  for  ages, 
And  the  ravines  aroused  their  minstrel  hosts 

To  march  with  their  chiefs  and  sages. 


EVA.  93 


XXXIX. 


To  him  the  vales  more  wide  did  gape, 
The  Dodder  dull  had  grown, 

All  things  seemed  longing  to  escape 
From  him,  save  the  Cross  alone. 


XL. 


And  Kevin  at  its  base  grown  old, 
A  life  of  calm  wo  passed, 

To  it  he  clung,  his  silent,  strong, 
And  true  friend  to  the  last. 


XLI. 

Of  years  threescore,  and  more,  had  fled 
Since  he  with  joy  nigh  dumb, 

Went  forth  to  meet  his  Eva  sweet 
And  still,  he  thinks,  she'll  come. 


XLH. 

It  is  a  glorious  close  of  day : 
In  light  and  shade  the  rills 

Gleam  fondly  in  the  ruddy  ray, 
That  nears  the  western  hills. 


94  EVA. 


XL1II. 


In  smiles  of  light,  the  heath,  the  rocks, 
Slantwise  the  sun-beam  kissed, 

And  rested  on  old  Kevin's  locks 
Of  tangled  silver  mist. 


XLIV. 


Anticipating  twilight's  frown, 
It  came  by  Mercy  led, 

And  wove  a  supra-mortal  crown 
Around  old  Kevin's  head. 


XLV. 


His  spectral  fingers  o'er  the  strings 

In  trembling  labor  went ; 
The  minstrel  and  the  minstrel's  wings 

Of  song,  are  nearly  spent. 


XLVI. 


Beneath  the  friendly  Cross  his  soul's 
Dear  cause  he  whisp'ring  pour'd ; 

But  sighs  like  his  are  organ  rolls 
To  the  ear  of  Mercy's  Lord  ! 


EVA.  95 

XLVII. 

As  one  who  yearns  to  live  alway, 

Eastward  lie  turned  his  eyes, 
With  hopes  to  see  from  the  night  of  clay 

Eternal  dawn  arise ! 


xLvm. 

His  night  fell  on  him  as  he  gazed, 

Ere  the  sun  had  wholly  fled, 
And  the  sun-crown  shone — Oh,  God  be  praised! 

O'er  the  lover-minstrel — dead. 


XLIX. 

On  the  spot  where  he  love's  passion  drank, 

On  the  gray  and  wiry  moss, 
And  leaning  on  his  harp,  he  sank 

In  the  shadow  of  the  CROSS. 


NOTES. 


1.  "  Delightful  Glan-nis-mole." 

— Part  I.,  verse  xvi.,  p.  11. 

Glan-nis-mole,  or  the  Vale  of  Thrushes,  a  peculiarly  wild,  ro 
mantic,  and  picturesque  valley  in  the  Dublin  mountains.  Kippnre, 
the  highest  of  this  range,  lifts  its  brown  head  over  all  the  neigh 
boring  hills,  at  the  remote  end  of  the  valley.  On  it  the  river 
Dodder  takes  its  rise  from  three  springs,  which  join  a  short  way 
down,  and  thence  united,  springs  into  the  vale,  and  commences  its 
wild  and  devious  course.  The  writer  tracked  the  river  to  its 
source,  and  explored  the  surrounding  hills  and  glens  twenty 
years  ago.  The 

"  Ivy-quilted  scanty  ruin" 

(stanza  xxiv.)  then  standing,  was  the  remains  of  a  primitive 
Christian  church,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Dodder.  On  the  op 
posite  bank  the  rugged  bills  and  table-lands  of  Alyagower,  Kil- 
tipper,  Ballymanock,  and  the  yet  more  wild  Castlekelly,  are 
variously  prominent.  The  "Witched  Cornaun,"  one  of  the 
Dublin  range,  better  known  as  the  old  hill  of  Bollinstown,  and 
at  present  called  Montpelier,  lies  to  the  northeast  of  Kippure 
As  suggested  by  the  name,  Glan-nis-mole  was  famous  for  thrushes, 
and  has  been  distinguished  as  the  scene  of  some  poems  attributed 
to  Ossian.  The  title  of  one  of  these  is.  "  The  Lay  of  the  Tall 
Woman  from  beyond  the  Sea,  or  the  Hunt  of  Glan-nis-mo!e."' 

9 


98  NOTES. 

2.  "  The  sunbeam  is  shed,  through  a  rose-leaf,  red 
On  a  neighboring  ceanavaun." 

— Part  I.,  verse  xxxiv.,  p.  !.">. 

The  ceanavaun,  a  wild  plant,  the  top  of  which  bears  a  sub 
stance  somewhat  resembling  cotton,  and  as  white  as  snow. 

3.  "  These  crosses,  like  great  note-marks,  stand 
***** 

Referring  us  to  God." 
This  metaphor  was  suggested  by  J.  [De  Jean]  Eraser's  lines— 

"The  stars  aro  asterisks  in  Heaven, 
Keferring  us  to  God." 

4.  "  His  love  was  fierce  JSLS  St.  Kevin's  hata\" 

\  —Part  I.,  p.  22. 

The  legend  of  the  persistent^asj^^jf  the  fair  Kathleen  for 
St.  Kevin,  and  his  equally  persisteunBl^rence  of  her  attention, 
even  to  hurling  the  lovely  votaress  into  the  waters  of  Glenda- 
lough,  will  be  remembered  by  readers  of  Moore's  Melody — "  By 
that  Lake  whose  gloomy  shore,"  and  Gerald  Griffin's  ballad, 
"  The  Fate  of  Cathlecn." 

<%.; 

5.  "  His  tongue  seemed  in  his  fingers." 

— Part  I.,  verse  Ixxiii. 

The  expression  of  the  hands,  in  either  delight,  hate,  agony,  or 
scorn,  is  most  powerful.  In  Raphael's  cartoons,  especially  in 
Paul  Preaching  at  Athens,  The  Death  of  Ananias,  The  Sorcerer 
Struck  Blind,  we  can  see  the  wonderful  effect  of  the  expression 
of  the  fingers.  They  are  all  speaking,  and  in  the  words  of 
Bhakspeare  we  may  exclaim — 

"  I  see  a  voice  !" 
The  subject  is  too  suggestive  to  be  more  than  indicated  in  a  note. 


NOTES.  09 

6.  "  the  mystic  Well, 

Blessed  by  the  good  Saint  Anne." 

—Part  II.,  verse  x.,  p.  33. 

Jn  a  previous  volume  by  the  writer  "  Saint  Anne's  Well"  has 
Ix-rsn  described.  A  brief  extract  will  be  sufficiently  explanatory 
of  the  allusion  in  the  text : 

"  The  waters  are  clear  and  as  pure  as  the  soul 
Of  the  Saint  that  endowed  it.    Beneath  a  green  knoll 
It  peacefully  slumbers  in  hallowed  repose, 
And  though  always  brimming,  it  never  o'erflows ; 
For  a  side-long  trickle  leads  off  the  blest  flow, 
When  its  breast  is  too  full,  to  the  Dodder  below  ; 
And  skirts  by  the  little  church  Kilmosantan, 
Where  the  green  ivy  close  the  old  ruin  doth-  span, 
And  clings  like  a  lover  whose  constancy  wages 
A  war  with  old  Time — growing  fonder  through  ages! 
On  these  lonely  waters  the  Saint  left  a  spell ; 
Which  faith  have  the  people,  and  thence  to  the  well 
They  fly  for  its  draughts  ;  for  the  power  Saint  Anne 
Bestowed  on  the  spring  was,  that  if  mortal  man 
Was  maimed,  ill,  but  faith  had,  he'd  surely  get  ease, 
If  he  creep  from  the  well  to  the  church  on  his  knees." 

— "  Faith  and  Fancy,"  pp.  69-70. 

Its  waters  are  deemed  not  less  efficacious  if  they  can  be  partaken 
of  by  a  purgatorial  sufferer. 

7.  "  Honey-tongue  and  Folks-glove." 

— Part  III.,  verse  xvi.,  p.  45. 

Folks-glove,  the  fairy,  or  wee  folk's  glove.  The  flower  com 
monly  called  fox-glove. 


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